Paul C Brunson | Celebs Go Dating 2026

What did you think when you saw the line-up of celebs this year?

You know, I was really happy because I finally knew someone! I've known a few people over the years now, but I really, really knew Lucinda. She's someone who I knew her through the MAFS family and we had worked together previously on her podcast. So I was really happy to see Lucinda and I was obviously pleased to see David come back. Coleen is someone who I've always known from TV, in particular, Loose Women. Then becoming obsessed with sport, I was aware of James. I’m a reality TV fanatic, so I knew about Gabby, and Stephen is someone I was aware of but we’ve never worked together before, so I was really pleased to see him.

You have two single dads on the show this series, do you think it’s important to explore that as there will be many men watching at home who can relate?

Yeah, you're right. But also active single fathers. You know, who are very proud to have children. You have that with James, you have that with Stephen. And what is great to see is how they navigate dating while being a dad. I think they've done a great job of being very respectful to their exes. And you could see how they definitely show up differently. They date differently given the level of responsibility that they have.

How do you think they date differently?

They date differently because it's not just about them. Ultimately everyone here at the agency this time around, they're looking for committed partners for as long as possible. What that means is it's not just two people coming together, but it's two families coming together. And when you have a child, when you have an ex-partner, there are more considerations to those two families, in essence coming together. And so they're aware of it. And I think it's great to see how they navigate it.

You started the series with a dinner party where loved ones of the celebs reveal what they think they need to work on, why?

I think it's brilliant to do the dinner initially and to have friends and family. It made me think of my matchmaking agency many years ago where the first thing we would do is talk to the friends and family of our clients. And the reason why is because you get the real person, you know, all of us suffer from cognitive dissonance, we don't have a full grasp on the connection between what we believe and how we show up. What friends and family do is they tell us exactly how a person shows up and what they believe. There's no cognitive dissonance, you know? And so that's the power of having them on the show and they were brilliant.

Who stood out for you?

James' mother was brilliant. I think she was probably the most direct, and I think James was probably the most scared of what was going to come out of her mouth! What's interesting is she said all the things that has taken us the entire journey to see him open up about.

What have brunches been like this series?

I would describe them as emotional and intimate. In previous years, they felt very confrontational. These have felt very intimate. I mean, even from a production standpoint, and I think this is a brilliant stroke of genius this year. In the past, the brunches have always been at a long distance, so a physical distance. So last year there’s 50 between the celebrity and the person that they're talking to. Whereas this year there might be five feet, it's much more intimate, which I think creates more emotion. 

Have there been any moments on the dates where you’ve got second hand embarrassment from watching them?

Oh yeah. I mean, James has incredibly crappy chat. Stephen is ridiculously nervous when interacting. Gabby early on had no confidence when dating and David is like a fish in water. You know, Lucinda has the best flirting. Her flirting was better than Pete Wicks. Historically across all the series, she is the best person at making someone feel chosen. Making someone feel special. She went around the room, she talked to everyone, everyone loved their interactions with her. She’s by far the best that I've ever seen.

And she’s been doing a lot of kissing…

Yeah. She's been doing a lot of kissing! I think she might hold a record for the most kisses ever for a celeb on this show.

The show has been on screens for a decade, why do you think it’s still so successful?

I was literally talking about this with someone about an hour ago, and my thought is that it is the result of the perfect imperfect, it's the perfect imperfect chorus, right? So in New York, there used to be a DJ and he would play what's called the wrong songs, and he would mash up songs that never should be placed together, but yet when they mashed up, you took the lyrics over a beat, he would always be just incredible and beautiful. Celebs Go dating is like the wrong songs. It's people who would never meet under any circumstance, all meet under this agency roof. That to me is brilliant.

Tom is back in the agency after his jungle stint, has the success changed him in any way?

As everyone will always say, he's the most kind, caring, special human that we all have ever met. Nothing is going to his head. I would even argue that he's even more humble. And for me, what's most special is that he is being recognised, appreciated and loved by more people now. He was always loved, there's no doubt about that. But now it's just simply more people and he's in more demand and it is well deserved.

Has the new attention had an impact on his love life?

You know, my take on it is, I think that he's so busy and he's so focused on all the things that he's passionate about, and now he has more demand that that's where he is spending his energy. But the beauty is that the more that he spends his energy in those areas, the more people he's going to meet that have those values. So it's a double win. 

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